The G-Index: a sustainability reporting assessment tool

ABSTRACT

The subject of sustainability reports, especially those related to GRI, has become an interesting topic to academics and practitioners. This paper seeks to propose an easy-to-use sustainability reporting assessment tool that is suitable to the GRI G4 guidelines. Our idea is to provide a tool that can be applied by an organization, based in GRI indicators, in a quick and easy way. The tool, called G-Index, represents the organizational sustainability performance. The index is a sum of four factors, and a questionnaire about the GRI elements raised the data to elaborate a Mudge diagram, which was used to define the weight values. Finally, the method for the evaluation tool was established, and a case study with the automotive sector was performed. The results showed us the G-Index represents a good option to assess the organization’s disclosure practices in sustainability reports based on the GRI framework. The report analysis presented some important facts, it is more common the disclosure of the Management Approach then the application of External Assurance. Furthermore, even the General Standard Disclosures of the GRI guidelines being mandatory, some companies do not fully disclose them, as shown in the GS factor, that makes up, the G-Index.

KEYWORDS:

• Global Reporting Initiative
• GRI
• sustainability
• report
• index
• indicator

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Survey on sustainability reports based on GRI

The aim of this research is to evaluate the importance of the key elements of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework on expert opinion.

* Required

Description of elements in accordance with the GRI guidelines

▪ General Standard Disclosures: provide the overall context for understanding organizational performance such as its strategy, profile and governance.

▪ Management Approach: information on how the organization identifies, analyzes and responds to their economic, social and environmental impacts.

▪ Performance Indicators: expose qualitative or quantitative information on the economic, environmental and social impacts and performance.

▪ External Verification: represent the activities that aim to result in published conclusions on the quality of the report and the information it contains, to increase the credibility and integrity of the report.

• 1. Considering companies from the same sector, the most disclosed GRI indicators have more relevant information to the stakeholders than the less disclosed ones. *

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• 2. Aiming a sustainability performance evaluation by the stakeholders, some of the GRI elements have more relevant information than others. *

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• 3. Which of the GRI elements have more relevant information to the stakeholders? *

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• 4. How much more important is this element? *

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  Table

• 5. Which of the GRI elements have more relevant information to the stakeholders? *

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• 6. How much more important is this element? *

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• 7. Which of the GRI elements have more relevant information to the stakeholders? *

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• 8. How much more important is this element? *

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• 9. Which of the GRI elements have more relevant information to the stakeholders? *

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• 10. How much more important is this element? *

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• 11. Which of the GRI elements have more relevant information to the stakeholders? *

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• 12. How much more important is this element? *

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• 13. Which of the GRI elements have more relevant information to the stakeholders? *

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• 14. How much more important is this element? *

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  Table